Nexus Hero is a program The Montgomery Institute offers to train and support people and businesses that want make money on the Internet.

“This class provided information in an interesting yet educational manner” said Care Lodge Community Coordinator Diane Mills. “I’ve been using Mailchimp for a while and I appreciated having the opportunity to learn more about utilizing the software.”

Mill’s comments came after a May 17 class, “Using Mailchimp to Build your Mailing List,” that Hamilton offered through The Montgomery Institute.

“These are free, informal sessions that carry no CEUs but are designed to take you on a guided tour of the tech tools that are out there that can help you connect to the Internet economy,” Hamilton said. “It may be for a business you want to create or as a way to expand your current business,” Hamilton continued. “These classes are initially being offered only to businesses, organizations and their employees in the community but we hope to expand the offerings as interest grows.”

The next Nexus Hero Brown Bag Lunch class “Taking Payments Online” will be held Thursday, May 31, 2012, from noon to 1 p.m. at The Montgomery Institute at 200 24th Avenue South in Meridian. A second class “Making the Most of the Changes to Facebook” will be held at the same time on Thursday, June 21, 2012.

Individuals interested in attending Nexus Hero Brown Bag Lunch classes should register with Lauren Denham at The Montgomery Institute. Sessions are limited to the first 15 registrants. Learn more about Nexus Hero at www.nexushero.org and The Montgomery Institute at www.tmi.ms.

MERIDIAN, Miss. – Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and Alabama Robert Bentley joined other leaders November 9, 2011, for a bi-state summit on strategies that would help West Alabama and East Mississippi address challenges. Hosted by 20 mayors from the region, over 300 leaders from state and local government, economic development organizations, business, and education attended the West Alabama-East Mississippi Mayors’ Regional Summit.

The emphasis was on working together to achieve success.

“The Toyota plant in Tupelo is a perfect example of regionalism,” said Bill Crawford, president of The Montgomery Institute, which organized the summit for the mayors. The Walmart Foundation sponsored the summit.

“We need to work together to move this region forward,” said Chief Phyliss Anderson of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. “When that happens it’s a win-win for all.”

Both governors stressed the importance of working together to generate jobs. Both that energy, aerospace and automotive industries are important targets for development.

“We anticipate that KiOR, within the next six years, will build a plant near Meridian, because there’s a tremendous amount of timber here,” said Barbour. KiOR is making a $1 billion, 7-year investment in Mississippi, to make bio-fuel from wood. Barbour said this will create about three hundred new jobs in east Mississippi.

Bentley said a priority focus of his administration will be economic and infrastructure development in West Alabama. He said he is pursuing major highway program. We’re talking about between $1-2 billion,” he said. “That’s major and we have not finalized that. We’re just working on that right now.”

Blake Wilson, president of the Mississippi Economic Council, and Seth Hammett, chairman of the Alabama Economic Development Alliance, told attendees about “Blueprint Mississippi” and “Accelerate Alabama.” Both are statewide strategic planning programs aimed at improving state economies.

Mariia Zimmerman, deputy director of the HUD Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, discussed changing conditions in Washington and opportunities available to the region.

Mississippi Community College Board director Dr. Eric Clark and Alabama Industrial Training manager of community outreach services Rep. Pebblin Warren discussed workforce education needs and resources.

Congressman Gregg Harper wrapped up the session with a focus on budget challenges in Washington.

Barbour thinks the job outlook for the region is good.

“You’ve got so much automobile manufacturing nearby at Canton, at Tupelo, at Tuscaloosa, at Anniston, at Montgomery,” he said. “So, there’s no question that West Alabama and East Mississippi will get chances to participate.”

The summit marked the fourth bi-state summit in a decade sponsored by The Montgomery Institute.

Click to view a PDF version of the agenda.

MERIDIAN, Miss. – Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and Alabama Robert Bentley joined other leaders November 9, 2011, for a bi-state summit on strategies that would help West Alabama and East Mississippi address challenges. Hosted by 20 mayors from the region, over 300 leaders from state and local government, economic development organizations, business, and education attended the West Alabama-East Mississippi Mayors’ Regional Summit.

The emphasis was on working together to achieve success.

“The Toyota plant in Tupelo is a perfect example of regionalism,” said Bill Crawford, president of The Montgomery Institute, which organized the summit for the mayors. The Walmart Foundation sponsored the summit.

“We need to work together to move this region forward,” said Chief Phyliss Anderson of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. “When that happens it’s a win-win for all.”

Both governors stressed the importance of working together to generate jobs. Both that energy, aerospace and automotive industries are important targets for development.

“We anticipate that KiOR, within the next six years, will build a plant near Meridian, because there’s a tremendous amount of timber here,” said Barbour. KiOR is making a $1 billion, 7-year investment in Mississippi, to make bio-fuel from wood. Barbour said this will create about three hundred new jobs in east Mississippi.

Bentley said a priority focus of his administration will be economic and infrastructure development in West Alabama. He said he is pursuing major highway program. We’re talking about between $1-2 billion,” he said. “That’s major and we have not finalized that. We’re just working on that right now.”

Blake Wilson, president of the Mississippi Economic Council, and Seth Hammett, chairman of the Alabama Economic Development Alliance, told attendees about “Blueprint Mississippi” and “Accelerate Alabama.” Both are statewide strategic planning programs aimed at improving state economies.

Mariia Zimmerman, deputy director of the HUD Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, discussed changing conditions in Washington and opportunities available to the region.

Mississippi Community College Board director Dr. Eric Clark and Alabama Industrial Training manager of community outreach services Rep. Pebblin Warren discussed workforce education needs and resources.

Congressman Gregg Harper wrapped up the session with a focus on budget challenges in Washington.

Barbour thinks the job outlook for the region is good.

“You’ve got so much automobile manufacturing nearby at Canton, at Tupelo, at Tuscaloosa, at Anniston, at Montgomery,” he said. “So, there’s no question that West Alabama and East Mississippi will get chances to participate.”

The summit marked the fourth bi-state summit in a decade sponsored by The Montgomery Institute.

Click to view a PDF version of the agenda.

Alabama governor, Robert Bentley, left, listens as Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour talks of regional support during the mayor's summit.

Booker T. Washington, who wrote, in his 1901 autobiography, Up from Slavery, said the term was first used to designate a part of the country, which was distinguished by the color of the soil. The part of the country possessing this thick, dark, and naturally rich soil was the part of the South where the black slaves were most numerous and profitable. Later and especially since the Civil War, the term seems to be used wholly in a political sense — that is, to designate the counties where the black people outnumber the white.

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley says this region of West Alabama is one of the places in which industry and growth needs to take root much like the cotton plants of the past.

Bentley, along with Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, spoke Wednesday morning at the West Alabama-East Mississippi Mayor’s Regional Summit held at the MSU Riley Center in downtown Meridian. Both state leaders say cooperation on the regional level is key to seeing growth in these areas.

“People have talked about doing something in the Black Belt for many years but that is all that has happened, just talk,” Bentley said Wednesday. “Now there is something happening.”

Where in the past, economic development leaders have concentrated on their own towns in order to try and lure in industry and jobs, Barbour says the key now is to promote the region, not just the city or town, in order to convince outside industry to invest in either East Mississippi or West Alabama.

“We have proven the Mississippi worker is more than willing to travel to get and maintain a good job,” Barbour said. “There are a great many examples of workers traveling across the Alabama-Mississippi border in order to work.”

The summit is a part of The Montgomery Institute (TMI) mission, which is to “upbuild the people and places of the East Mississippi and West Alabama region guided by the leadership legacy of G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery.”

Bill Crawford, president of TMI, says the mayors meet quarterly to discuss the issues within their jurisdictions.

“Our goal with this event is to direct a strong focus to our region so that we can continue to move forward,” Crawford said.

About 350 people, including state and local elected officials, economic development leaders and business leaders attended the summit.

While talking about the large industries states try to bring inside their borders, Barbour says state leaders should not forget about the small business and entrepreneurs who drive local economies. He says promoting entrepreneurship is vital to local and state economies especially since Mississippi will soon be losing federal funds like the Community Development Block Grants the state has received since Hurricane Katrina.

“That money is drying up,” Barbour said. “State revenues will be less.”

Both governors said training the workforce through community college education and high school programs will be crucial to convincing industries to come to the Black Belt. Bentley, however, admits there is a vicious cycle in play in which state and local leaders must make a decision where to invest decreasing funds. One dilemma, says Bentley, is whether the money should go to education or improving the infrastructure?

But with both states touting the other, the governors say the region and workers will eventually win out.

“We routinely support Alabama if it looks like we aren’t in the running for something because we could benefit from what they get in terms of industry and jobs,” Barbour said.

Barbour said the economic experts say the country is not in a recession now. He says for those experts to tell that to the local shop owner on Main Street.

“We have to be seen as a much larger work force than in the past if we think on the regional level,” Barbour said. “If we do that, the local shop owner, and everyone else, will see the growth we are constantly trying to achieve.”

By Brian Livingston / blivingston@themeridianstar.com The Meridian Star

From the East:

From the West:

From the South:

From the North:

Nexus Hero Louisville

MERIDIAN, Miss- September 22, 2011- “On target and very practical,” said one. “I can…apply it,” said another. The demand for Nexus Hero Workshops continues to grow.

“In my opinion the topic is right on target and very practical,” said Bruce Hanson, an entrepreneur facilitator for East Mississippi Community College Community.  “Many times such presentations are full of acronyms and technical terms that chase away the attendee. This on the other hand is straight forward. I think this needs exposure to as many people as possible.”

Kimberly K. Turner of Newton was equally enthusiastic.

“I enjoyed it for the second time,” said Turner. “I feel that I can take the information gained in the seminar and apply it to my life in a new market.”

Hanson’s comments came after a September 9 Nexus Hero Workshop at East Mississippi Community College in Scooba. Turner’s comments came after an August 23 workshop at the Newton County Chamber of Commerce.

“I received information I was not aware of and have never heard of” has become a typical response to the workshops.

Nexus Hero Workshops are designed to inspire and educate individuals to use the Internet to create jobs for themselves and others. They help community leaders understand the job creation potential of the Internet. Workshops in 10 different communities including have reached more than 200 participants.

The workshops are sponsored by Sen. Haskins Montgomery, Sen. Videt Carmichael, Sen. Terry Burton, and Sen. Sampson Jackson through a grant from the AT&T Foundation to The Montgomery Institute. Clay Hamilton conducts the workshops.

Want to go?

The next presentation of the Nexus Hero Workshop will occur from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., October 11, 2011 at the Noxubee County Economic and Community Development Alliance in Macon, 503 South Washington Street. Additional workshops are planned for Forest, Heidelberg and Taylorsville. Go to www.NexusHero.com to see schedules and to pre-register.

Communities interested in holding workshops in their communities should contact Clay Hamilton at info@nexushero.com.

The WIN Job Centers recruit and qualify participants. SBDCs provide FirstStep Workshops to validate participants’ interest in self-employment. Community and junior colleges offer the innovative Southern Entrepreneur Program curriculum to help participants prepare for business ownership and develop business and marketing plans. MDES provides funding for the training. SBDCs provide follow-up counseling. TMI serves as program manager.

Funding for this program is provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  To see the grant proposal click here. Download the METP final report here.

Mayor Cheri Barry

In a special section of The Meridian Star entitled “Meridian and its Neighbors,” Meridian Mayor Cheri Barry touted the West Alabama – East Mississippi Mayors Network and challenged regional partners to come together and build a better future.

“The relationship and partnership between Meridian and her neighbors grow by the day,” she said. “Last year we talked about working with The Montgomery Institute and our quarterly regional mayors meetings. The fellowship between mayors of east Mississippi and west Alabama has built partnerships that will improve our region.

“It has been two years since we developed these meetings. It is hard to believe it has been that long since we started gathering to focus on the specific interests of our particular region, both its advantages and its challenges. Our quarterly meetings have made clear the advantages of regionalism. We realize that east Mississippi and West Alabama is the sum of its parts.

“Regionalism allows us to improve economic viability, diversity, and spirit of our trade region and increase our competitiveness in the state, national, and global marketplace. It is key that we work together to develop strategies that will maintain and expand essential basic infrastructure, health care, education, and telecommunications.

“When we think regionally, we can develop a clearer idea of our region’s resources and benefits. We understand the strengths of our region’s workforce and development potential for a population that is several times any one of our cities or towns.

“Possibly most importantly, regionalism provides east Mississippi and west Alabama with a platform to enhance our voice to both our state and federal capitols. Our efforts become a collaborative endeavor to enhance economic development and quality of life.

“We have spent the past two years building new relationships with our regional mayors. Now, it is time that we, Meridian and her neighbors, lead the way. We will not wait for an opportunity, we will build our own. Our future is what we make of it. Together, let’s make the most of it.”

The Montgomery Institute hosts the quarterly mayors meeting, which are made possible by funding from the Walmart Foundation.

Nexus Hero creator Clay Hamilton, left, receives Main Street award from Mississippi Main Street board president Randy Burchfield.

At its June 28 annual awards ceremony, Mississippi Main Street awarded its “best business retention/recruitment program” award to Meridian Main Street for the Nexus Hero program.

In June 2010, Meridian Main Street in partnership with The Montgomery Institute, the City of Meridian, and Mississippi State University, held the first Nexus Hero: Internet Entrepreneurship Workshop. Designed by Clay Hamilton, Nexus Hero helps people find online employment, create online businesses, or expand existing businesses by going online. It also helps individuals and communities identify where they can improve their services to the community within existing budgets.

Meridian Main Street executive director John McClure said the program has brought revenue from outside the community into it and helped improve the local economy and quality of life.

Hamilton, four state senators, and The Montgomery Institute are currently offering the innovative Nexus Hero Workshops to other communities in East Mississippi through a grant from the AT&T Foundation.  For more information go to http://www.nexushero.com or contact The Montgomery Institute at 601-483-2661.